Dispenser for volatile fluids



March 24, 1959 G. HIRT ET AL DISPENSER FOR VOLATILE FLUIDS Filed April 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Gerald v E and 0 R0 6 M. StricKIand ,Jr.

ATTORNEYS March 24, 1959 G. E. HlRT ET AL 2,878,965

DISPENSER FOR VOLATILE FLUIDS Filed April 17 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i INVENTORS vGeYaZd E. Hirt and Royce M. StricHIandJr.

ATTORNEYS United States PatentQ' ice 2,878,965 DISPENSER FOR VOLATILE FLUIDS Gerald E. Hirt, Madison, and Royce M. Strickland, Jr.,

New Haven, Conn., assignors to The Talco Engineer- 'ing' Company, Hamden, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut i a I Application April 17, 1956, Serial No. 578,678

6 Claims. (Cl. 222-) This invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing inflatable suits and similar devices, wherein rapid inflation of the expandable gas-containing member is critically essential. It will, however, be readily understood from the" following description of several specific embodiments to be more particularly described. Also formed in the of the device, presented for illustrative purposes, that the invention is likewise capable of various other applications and uses.

A primary object of the present invention is accordingly the provision of a device which will at least partially compensate for the heat loss and refrigeration effects, and accelerate the vaporization and expansion A more specific object of the of vaporizable liquids. invention is the provision of a device which functions to heat and increase the temperature of carbon dioxide gas being discharged into an inflatable container, such as a life raft, so that the gas will not freeze and deposit ice in the container, and thereby interfere with the in flationprocess. A further object is the provision of an accessory for liquid carbon dioxide dispensers which is of simple construction and easily replaced when exhausted.

In general, the invention contemplates the provision of a cartridge-actuated device which is fired at approxiprevent freezing. The amount of heat supplied by the mately the same time the gas, liquefied under pressure, I is released from a container, and the heat developed by the combustible material released from the cartridge used to increase the temperature of the vaporizable liquid a suflicient extent to increase the rate of vaporization and a to assisting the vaporization of the carbon dioxide and elimination of icing within the inflatable life raft, or-

combustible material is not necessarily suflicient to increase the temperature of the vaporizable liquid and accompanying'gas to its original temperature. The combustible material is of a nature designed to burn slowly when ignited and release a hot gaswhich is passed in heat exchange relation with the vaporizable liquid.

The invention preferably provides, in combination with. the liquid carbon dioxide dispenser or bottle, a cartridge;

containing a combustible material or powder having a high gas volume to weight ratio so that a relatively small amount of powder will substantially supplement the inflatable properties of the carbon dioxide or other vaporizable liquid, in addition to supplying sensible heat to aid in the vaporization process. The device may be so arranged and constructed that the manual operation of the release pin or valve for the liquefied carbon dioxide simultaneously actuates a primer to fire the cartridge and release the combustion gases into heat-exchange relation with the vaporizable liquid.

Specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing the device of the invention incorporated in an inflation bottle containing embodiment of the invention applied to' a liquid carbon dioxide container.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will be observed that a container 1 for liquid carbon dioxide'or other liquid highly volatile at ordinary temperatures is superimposed by a bell-shaped mixing chamber 2 disposed above an intermediate casting 3, and terminating in an outlet passage 4, upon which may be fitted an appropriate adapter.

An internal outlet passage 5 for the contents of the container is provided with a flexible siphon tube 6 ex-' tending to the bottom of 'the container, and communicating with the mixing chamber 2 through a concentric canal 7, axial passages 8 and a vertical "passage 9. Thevertical passage 9 is normally closed by a frangible seal- 4 ing diaphragm 10.

The intermediate casting 3 is formed with an appended hollow section 11 for the reception of a sealed frangible cartridge 12 containing combustible material of a nature casting 3 are passages 13 and 14 which lead from the side of the frangible cartridge 12'to nozzles 16 and 17 in the mixing chamber 2. A valve 18 and passage 15 are provided for recharging the vessel. a

; Carried in the top of the mixing chamber 2 is a firing pin 19 having a compression spring 20 which bears on a flange 21 on the firing pin. The firing pin 19 is normally held in elevated position against the. action of compression spring 20 by a release "ring 22 secured against accidental removal by a lock 23. The cartridge 12 is provided at the top with a primer or percussion cap 24, and the side wall of the cartridge 12 maybe formed of relatively thin metal, or other readily frangible material, which is ruptured at the outlets tothe passages 13 and 14 when the cartridge is exploded.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. '1

and 2 is designed to mix the combustion products of l the cartridge directly with the carbon dioxide, and thereby augment the inflating properties thereof, in addition other container. It will be apparent that, in the operation of this embodiment, release of the firing pin 19 by withdrawal of the release ring 22* allows the compression spring 20 to drive the extremity of the firing pin through the sealing diaphragm 10 and against the primer 24, thereby igniting the combustible material in cartridge 12, which fractures the side walls of the cartridge, and

allows combustible products to pass through the passages 13 and 14, through nozzles 16 and 17 into the mixing chamber 2. At the same time, 'fracture'of diaphragm 10 allows liquid carbon dioxide from the container 1 to pass up through the siphon 6 and passages 5, 8 and 9 into the mixing chamber 2 toblend with and be heated :by-the combustion products from-the cartridge 12. Ordinarily, the firing pin 19 merely engages the primer 24 without piercing the top of the cartridge 12.' I

A further embodiment of the invention illustrated in V Patented Mar. 2 4, 1959 having a lower partition 26 which separates the heatexchange chamber from the carbon dioxide container 1. In this case, the liquid carbon dioxide from the bottom of-the container 1 is carried through two siphons 27 and 28 to coils 29 and 30 disposed within the combustionchamber 25, and terminating in outlet passages. 31 and 32 in an upper casting 33. These outlets 31 and 32 connect with a vertical passage 34 through transverse passages 35 and 36, and thereafter directly to the outlet passage 4. In a similar manner to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the release of the firing pin 19 by release ring, 22 allows the extremity of the firing pin to fracture the frangible diaphragm 10, and then fire the percussion cap or primer 24 to release the contents of the cartridge 12 into the combustion chamber 25. Simultaneously,

the fracture of the diaphragm 10 by the firing pin 19 allows the liquid carbon dioxide to pass upwardly through the twin siphons 27 and 28 and into the coils 29 and 30, wherein the liquid carbon dioxide is heated and increased in temperature by heat exchange with the products of combustion released into the chamber 25 from the cartridge 12. The heated liquid carbon dioxide thereafter passes upwardly through the outlet passages 31 and 32, transverse passages 35 and 36 and vertical passage 34 into the outlet nozzle 4 and thereafter into the life raft, or other device in the process of being inflated.

The heat-exchange chamber 25 is provided with a relief valve 37 which opens downwardly into the carbon dioxide container. The purpose of the relief valve 37 is to provide a safety mechanism to relieve the pressure in the heat-exchange chamber if it should become too high, and further pressurizes the carbon dioxide chamber so that all, or practically all, of the carbon dioxide is exhausted from the container into the raft, or other device being inflated.

It will be observed that by these means, it may be possible to employ a smaller container of carbon dioxide than would otherwise be needed.

These and other embodiments and changes may be made within the specific structures and constructions shown herein for purposes of :illustration without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A device for dispensing vaporizable fluids comprising a container for the vaporizable fluid having an outlet channel, a diaphragm normally sealing the outlet channel, a supply of combustible material including a primer therefor disposed below said diaphragm, a firing pin positioned above the diaphragm adapted to sequentially fracture the diaphragm to release the vaporizable liquid into the outlet channel and fire the primer for the combustible material and means providing for heat exchange of the gaseous combustion products from the combustible material with the vaporizable liquid.

2. A device for dispensing vaporizable fluids comprising a container for the vaporizable fluid having an outlet channel, a diaphragm normally sealing the outlet channel, a supply of combustible material including a primer therefor disposed below said diaphragm, a firing pin positioned above the diaphragm adapted to sequentially fracture the diaphragm to release the vaporizable liquid into the outlet channel and fire the primer for the combustible material and a .chamber for mixing the gaseous combustio'n. products from the combustible material with the vaporizable fluid to enhance vaporization thereof.

3. A device for dispensing vaporizable fluids comprising a container for the vaporizable fluid having an outlet channel, a diaphragm normally sealing the outlet channel, a supply of combustible material including a primer therefor disposed below said diaphragm, a firing pin positioned above the diaphragm adapted to sequentially fracture the diaphragm to release the vaporizable liquid into the outlet channel and fire the primer for the combustible material and means providing for the indirect heat exchange of the gaseous combustion products from the combustible material with the vaporizable liquid.

4. A device for dispensing vaporizable fluids comprising a container for the vaporizable fluid having an outlet channel, a diaphragm normally sealing the outlet channel, a supply of combustible material including a primer therefor disposed below said diaphragm, a firing pin positioned above the diaphragm adapted to sequentially fracture the diaphragm to release the vaporizable liquid into the-outlet channel and fire the primer for the combustible material, a chamber for the reception of the products of said.

combustible material and a heat exchange coil between the supply of the vaporizable fluid and the outlet channel .disposed in said chamber thereby to enhance vaporization of said vaporizable liquid following release thereof. through fracture of said diaphragm and ignition of the primer by the firing pin.

5. A device for dispensing vaporizable fluids comprising a container for the vaporizable fluid having an outlet channel and a frangible diaphragm normally closing said channel, a spring pressed firing pin mounted in the container above said diaphragm and normally restrained-by a release device, a supply of combustible material and a :primer therefor said primer being located below the diaphragm, whereby operation of the release device allows the spring pressed firing pin to sequentially fracturethe.

diaphragm releasing the vaporizable fluid into the outlet channel and ignite the primer for the combustible material sand means providing for heat exchange of the gaseous combustion products from the combustible material with the vaporizable liquid.

6. A device for dispensing vaporizable fluids comprisv ing a container for the vaporizable fluid having an outlet channel and a frangible diaphragm normally closing said channel, a spring pressed firing pin mounted in the con- I tainer above said diaphragm and a release device normally restraining the firing pin, a receptical below the diaphragm for a cartridge of combustible material, said cartridge including a primer disposed immediately below said frangible diaphragm, whereby operation of the release device allows the spring pressed firing pin to sequentially fracture the diaphragm releasing the vaporizable fluid into the outlet channel and ignite the primer for the combustible material and means providing for heat exchange of the gaseous combustion products from the combustible material with the vaporizable liquid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

